CVE-2016-1000153 in tidio-gallery Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Reflected XSS in wordpress plugin tidio-gallery v1.1
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2019
The vulnerability CVE-2016-1000153 represents a reflected cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the tidio-gallery wordpress plugin version 1.1. This security weakness allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, exploiting the plugin's improper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's handling of user-supplied data within HTTP request parameters, creating an avenue for malicious code execution in the context of a victim's browser session.
The technical implementation of this reflected XSS vulnerability occurs when the tidio-gallery plugin fails to properly sanitize or escape user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. Attackers can craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that, when executed by unsuspecting users, can steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims. The vulnerability stems from the plugin's lack of proper input validation and output encoding practices, which are fundamental security controls recommended by the Open Web Application Security Project OWASP and the Common Weakness Enumeration CWE-79 category for cross-site scripting flaws.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable sophisticated attack vectors including credential theft, session hijacking, and data exfiltration from compromised wordpress installations. When exploited, the reflected XSS can allow attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the victim's browser context, potentially leading to full account compromise if users have administrative privileges. The vulnerability affects any wordpress site running the affected plugin version, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users interact with the gallery functionality, as the attack can be delivered through various means including email phishing, social engineering, or compromised websites.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-1000153 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the reflected XSS vulnerability, following the principle of least privilege and implementing proper input validation at multiple layers of the application architecture. Organizations should also deploy web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, implement content security policies to restrict script execution, and conduct regular security assessments of wordpress plugins and themes. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments and T1071.001 for application layer protocol usage, highlighting the multi-faceted nature of reflected XSS exploitation in modern web environments. Regular security monitoring and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to identify similar weaknesses in other plugins and ensure comprehensive protection against cross-site scripting attacks that could compromise wordpress site integrity and user data confidentiality.